1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable communication apparatuses, such as cellular phones, PDAs (personal digital assistants), HHPs (hand held phones), and PCS (personal communication service) phones, and more particularly to a portable digital communication apparatus having a hinge means capable of making combined sliding and rotation movements.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a “portable communication apparatus” refers to an electronic apparatus which a user can carry with him/her to perform wireless communication with a desired partner. In consideration of portability, the design of such portable communication apparatuses have become more compact, slimmer, and lighter, but also now include multimedia availability, having a wider variety of functions. In particular, future portable communication apparatuses are expected to incorporate greater multi-functionality and multi-purpose utilization, as well as being more compact and lighter, and also will be designed to incorporate various multimedia environments or Internet environments. Additionally, such portable communication apparatuses are now recognized by some people as a nearly indispensable commodity which must always be carried.
Conventional portable communication apparatuses may be classified into various types according to their appearance, such as bar-type portable communication apparatuses, flip-type portable communication apparatuses, and folder-type portable communication apparatuses. The bar-type portable communication apparatus has a single housing shaped like a bar. The flip-type portable communication apparatus has a flip which is pivotably mounted to a bar-shaped housing by a hinge unit. The folder-type portable communication apparatus has a folder coupled to a single bar-shaped housing by a hinge unit in such a manner that the folder can be rotated in order to be folded to or unfolded from the housing.
Further, portable communication apparatuses may be classified into neck wearable type communication apparatuses and wrist wearable type communication apparatuses according to the position at or the way in which a user puts on the communication apparatus. The neck wearable type communication apparatus is one which a user wears around the neck using a string or lanyard, while the wrist wearable type communication apparatus is one which a user wears on the wrist.
Additionally, portable communication apparatuses may be classified into rotation-type communication apparatuses and sliding-type communication apparatuses according to the manner in which the user opens and closes the communication apparatuses. In the rotation-type portable communication apparatus, two housings are coupled to each other in such a manner that one housing rotates to be opened or closed relative to the other while the housings remain facing each other. In the sliding-type portable communication apparatus, two housings are coupled to each other in a manner that one housing slides to be opened or closed relative to the other. These variously classified portable communication apparatuses can be easily understood by those skilled in the art.
Meanwhile, conventional portable communication apparatuses may now include a function of transmitting data at a high speed in addition to the basic function of performing voice communication. In other words, according to increased demand by consumers, portable communication apparatuses may now provide a service using a wireless communication technology capable of transmitting data at a high speed.
Recent portable communication apparatuses have also been equipped with a camera lens which enables the communication apparatuses to transmit an image signal. That is, current conventional portable communication apparatuses may have an imbedded or external camera lens or a photographing means which enables a user to make an image communication with a desired partner or to take a photograph of a desired subject.
However, conventional portable communication apparatuses have a disadvantage in that, once one type of a portable communication apparatus is purchased, a user has little choice but to keep using that apparatus in a monotonous way until he/she decides to purchase a different type of portable communication apparatus. Conventional portable communication apparatuses cannot combine features in an add-on manner; for example, sliding-type apparatuses cannot be combined with rotation-type apparatuses. Accordingly, a need exists to provide a user with a new type of portable communication apparatus, which combines the advantages of sliding-type and rotation-type portable communication apparatuses.